The now 28-year-old arrived at St. James Park to replace departed captain Kevin Nolan in 2011 for 4.3 million pounds from Lille, and to gain almost five times that fee in addition to the 18 goals and 15 assists he provided is pretty solid work from the Newcastle higher-ups. And Cabaye had his head turned by a 10 million pound bid from Arsenal this summer and later admitted readily to missing Champions League football.

But what will go back into the club, one led back into Europe by Cabaye in a brilliant 2011-12 campaign and at least tempting its fans European imaginations with wins over Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham this season?

And small picture: how will Newcastle’s current side react for today’s fixture with Norwich City? Different situation, but this summer’s Cabaye turmoil watched them get smoked 4-0 at the Etihad to open the season while the French star’s status was in Gunners doubt.

Owner Mike Ashley is hard to read and director of football Joe Kinnear has had trouble even pronouncing his players names — calling Cabaye ‘Yohan Kebab’ in an interview — not to mention remembering which ones he’s brought to SJP. In fact, Kinnear and manager Alan Pardew had to backtrack to talking up last January’s moves for Yoan Gouffran, Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Massadio Haidara and Moussa Sissoko when this August landed them only a loan deal for Loic Remy (though many would likely say that’s fair considering the quality of such a group).

And as Remy allegedly won’t sign a full transfer because of what may await him this summer, Newcastle supporters are left to wonder whether they have the people in charge to take the next step. It appears long-sought transfer Luuk de Jong may be in town for a medical, but he’s struggled to find form at new club Borussia Mönchengladbach and it looks to be a loan move as well. Does this mean more than a half-hour of match time for mercurial-yet-magnificent Hatem Ben Arfa?

There will be a new No. 4 at Newcastle United at some point soon, and he’ll have a lot to do to live up to the standards set by Cabaye and Nolan, (and perhaps Nobby Solano before them). And perhaps Cabaye will join Demba Ba and Andy Carroll as those to net outrageous fees and then struggle away from the club that boosted their reputations — and again, perhaps not — but supporters will continue to ask whether another elite player will ever be priceless at St. James Park. Would Alan Shearer have enjoyed a 10-year-run in the Northeast had the current buyers, and sellers, been in place?

His name is Alessandro Cupini, a 10-year-old from Kansas City, Missouri that is about to complete a dream that a soccer player of any age would be thrilled to achieve.

Less than two weeks ago, Cupini and his family announced that the Kansas City Fusion midfielder/striker would be accepting a spot in the AS Roma academy starting in the Spring 2018, after having trained with the club for the better part of two years off and on.

Pro Soccer Talk had the opportunity to speak with Cupini’s father, Eddie, ahead of his son’s big move to Italy.

“This is something that Alessandro has worked really hard for,” Eddie Cupini told PST. “There are times where I tell him that he needs to take a step back and be a normal kid, but he doesn’t have any of that. He’s an incredibly hard-working and driven kid that does more than most people regardless of his age.”

Alessandro — who recently turned 10 years old — isn’t the typically American youngster though, according to his father.

“There are times where I wish Alessandro would take a break and be a kid, but that’s just not in his desire,” Cupini said. “We built him a mini stadium downstairs where he trains basically every day after school. As soon as he gets home from school he’s doing work down there and always looking for other kids to come over to practice with.”

That’s where the comparisons to Pulisic can be worked into the conversation.

Pulisic followed a very similar path to the professional level when he left his hometown of Hershey, Pennsylvania at the age of 16 to sign with Borussia Dortmund. Now, he’s U.S. Soccer’s most promising star as the USMNT looks to rebuild.

Cupini is already on the radar of U.S. Soccer and the Olympic Development Program (ODP), which helps identify young talent in the United States starting at the Under-12 level.

However, because of Cupini’s Italian heritage and his unique opportunity to move to Italy next year, Alessandro could potentially have the chance to represent either the USMNT or the Azzurri in the future.

“It’s a long ways away and we’re taking things slow in that regard,” Cupini said in regards to his son’s international plans. “We’d certainly be willing to explore our options, but I think it would be a real dream and his main goal to play for Italy.”

New Jersey-native and former Italy international Giuseppe Rossi made a similar career choice when it came down to choosing a national team. Despite living in the United States for much of his youth years, Rossi appeared for a number of Italy’s youth teams before holding a stint with the senior side from 2008 to 2014.

Prior to making the announcement that Roma would be where Cupini will ply his trade next year, the young American also had the opportunity to train with Italian academies Empoli and Atalanta.

“My father is from Rome, so for Alessandro to have the opportunity to play for his hometown club it was almost a no-brainer,” Cupini said. “We were very grateful to the other clubs for the chance Alessandro had to train with them, but Roma is a club that is very close to our family.

Leicester City pulled out a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion at the King Power Stadium, however, the Foxes remain in the bottom three of the Premier League.

Riyad Mahrez had plenty of chances on the day, and he rescued his side with 10 minutes remaining after powering home a strike into the far corner. The goal marks the Algerian’s first of the 2017/18 campaign.

Despite a frustrating opening hour, the visitors led on 63 minutes when Nacer Chadli curled home a brilliant free kick that left Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel stunned.

For the Belgium international, Chadli becomes West Brom’s seventh different goalscorer of the season.

Leicester nearly came out flying in the second stanza whenMahrez had an open chance in the center of the Baggies penalty area, however, the Algerian winger’s left-footed attempt was too high to hit the target.